When I was an official of a school in Palo Alto, California, Polly Tyner, the president of our board, wrote a letter that was printed in the Palo Alto Times. Polly’s son, Jim, had great difficulty in school. He was classified as the educationally handicapped and required a great deal of patience on the part of his parents and teachers. But Jim was a happy kid with a great smile that lit up the room. His parents knew his difficulties, but they always tried to help him see his strengths so that he could walk with pride. Shortly after Jim finished high school, he was killed in a motorcycle accident. After his death, his mother submitted this letter to the newspaper.

“Today we buried our 20-year-old son. He was killed in a motorcycle accident on Friday night. How I wish I had known that the last time I had talked to him would be the last time. If I had only known that, I would have said to him, ‘Jim, I love you and I’m always so proud of you.’ I would have taken the time to count the many blessings he had brought to the lives of the people who loved him. I would have taken the time to appreciate his beautiful smile, his laughter, and his genuine love to other people.

“When I put all the good things on the scale and try to balance them with all the irritating (恼人的) things such as the radio that was always too loud, the haircut that wasn’t to our liking, the dirty socks under the bed, etc., I find that the irritations really don’t amount to much.

“I won’t get another chance to tell my son all that I would have wanted him to hear, but, other parents, do have a chance. Tell your young people what you would want them to hear as if it may be your last conversation. The last time I talked to Jim was the morning of the day when he died. He called me to say, ‘Hi, Mom! I just called to say I love you. You have to go to work now. Bye.’ That day, he gave me something to treasure forever. ”

If there is any purpose at all for Jim’s death, maybe it is to make others appreciate life more and to tell people, especially family members, that they should take the time to let each other know just how much they care. You may never have another chance. Do it today!

1.What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “the educationally handicapped”?

2.According to the writer, which of the following about Jim is TRUE？

3.What did Polly think of Jim?

4.The purpose of Polly’s letter is to _______.               .

The good thing about children is that they ________ very easily to new environments.

A heart-warming story tells of a woman who finally decided to ask her boss for a raise in salary. All day she felt nervous. Late in the afternoon she gathered the    36  to approach her employer. To her delight, the boss agreed to a    37 . The woman arrived home that evening to find a beautiful table   38  with their best dishes. Candles were softly burning. Her 39  had come home early and prepared a festive meal. She wondered if someone from the office had given him the information   40  , or··· did he just somehow know that she would not get the request  41 ?

She found him in the kitchen and    42     him the good news. They happily sat down to enjoy the wonderful    43    . Next to her plate the woman found a beautifully lettered card which was her husband's 44  of writing. It read “Congratulations, darling! I knew you'd get the raise! These things will tell you how much I love you.”  45  The supper, her husband went into the kitchen to   46 . She noticed that a second 47    had fallen from his pocket.   48  it up off the floor, she read, “Don't worry about not getting the raise! But you   49    it anyway! These things will tell you how much I love you.”

Someone has said that the   50  of love is when you love without measure. What this man feels for his wife is total    51  and love, whether she succeeds or  52 . His love celebrates her victories and 53  her wounds. He stands with her, no matter what life throw in their direction..

Upon receiving the Nobel for 54 , Mother Teresa said, “What can you do to  55  to the world peace? Go home and love your family.” And love your friends. Love then without measure.

1.                A．strength        B．courage        C．curiosity  D．power

2.                A．remove        B．cut            C．raise D．leave

3.                A．decorated      B．designed        C．filled D．set

4.                A．mother         B．father          C．husband  D．boss

5.                A．secretly        B．intentionally     C．accidentally   D．publicly

6.                A．turned over     B．turned down     C．turned out D．turned on

7.                A．told           B．said            C．spoke    D．added

8.                A．conversation    B．night           C．news D．meal

9.                A．color          B．design          C．style D．detail

10.               A．After          B．During         C．Before    D．with

11.               A．bring up        B．clean up        C．cut up D．throw up

12.               A．letter          B．book           C．card  D．bill

13.               A．Picking         B．Turning         C．Getting    D．Standing

14.               A．reserve        B．preserve       C．deserve   D．conserve

15.               A．quality         B．measure        C．quantity   D．depth

16.               A．tolerance       B．expectation     C．decoration D．acceptance

17.               A．fails           B．suffers         C．neglects   D．regrets

18.               A．relieves        B．heals          C．cures D．covers

19.               A．Literature       B．Physics         C．Peace D．Chemistry

20.               A．occur          B．lead           C．attach D．contribute

The Catherine family enjoyed the good things in life as much as anyone else. They ___36___games, books, music, toys, good food and good times. But sometimes ___37___seemed, especially to Mrs. Catherine who ___38___the house, that they had too much stuff in the closets, in the drawers, in the basement, and almost ___39___. It made Mrs. Catherine a little ___40___.

One day, at breakfast, Mrs. Catherine made a（n） ___41___. “This family,”she said firmly, “has too much stuff. It's time to get ___42___of some of them. ”The three children all ___43___with this idea and helped pile used things and unused things they were never going to use into the car.

Their first ___44___was Home for the Aged where the older went to live. Nurses and doctors looked after them, but sometimes the older got a little lonely and ___45___. They liked visitors and things to do. When the family arrived at Home for the Aged, they ___46___out their games and puzzles to the older and then sat down to play games and do puzzles with them. They had a ___47___time and they were sorry when it was time to leave.

Their next stop was the Young Cubs Hospital. The Catherine family dropped ___48___their load of used toys which were very welcome. The hospital workers said the toys would be given out at the hospital ___49___party.

Their last stop was People Who Care store. This was a store that sold things to ___50___money for those who needed warm clothes and good food. The Catherine family lugged all their old clothes and furniture into the store.  

After that, the Catherine family ___51___home with warm feelings about what they had done. ___52___they drove along, they passed the lighted ___53___of supermarkets which were beautifully decorated for Christmas. There was window after window of the very latest things, but they were so filled with special thoughts about helping others that they ___54___noticed the wonderful things in the windows except maybe out of the ___55___of their eyes.

When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d   36  known. When Dr. Gibbs wasn’t   37  lives, he was planting trees.

The good doctor had some   38  theories on planting trees. He believed in “No pains, no gains”. He never   39  his new trees, which was   40  many people. Once I asked why. He   41  that watering plants spoiled them, and that if you water them, each following tree generation will   42  weaker and weaker. So you have to make things   43  for them. He talked about how watering trees   44  shallow roots, and how trees that weren’t watered had to grow deep roots in   45  of water. I came to understand that he meant deep roots were to be   46 . I planted a couple of trees a few years back and I took good care of them. Two years of   47  has resulted in trees that expect to be waited on hand and foot. Whenever a cold wind blows, they   48  and tremble their branches. Funny things about those trees of Dr. Gibbs’. The lack of water seemed to   49  them in ways comfort and ease never could.

I used to   50  for my sons that their lives will be easy. But   51  I’ve been thinking that it’s time to   52  my prayer. I know my children are going to meet   53 , and I’m praying they will be strong. The prayer for comfort is seldom met. What we need to do is to pray for deep roots,   54  when the winds blow, we won’t be   55  away.